Disposable water seal and suction control bag

ABSTRACT

A disposable bag for disposition between a source of suction and a container for collecting drainage from the body of a patient after severe wounding of or surgery performed on the patient, the bag having a suction control section and a water seal section and is fixedly attached to a canister cover, both the bag and cover being discarded after usage with a single patient or whenever desired.

United States Patet Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee DISPOSABLE WATERSEAL AND SUCTION CONTROL BAG Primary Examiner-Charles F. RosenbaumA!!0rneyHill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson ABSTRACT: A disposablebag for disposition between a source of suction and a container forcollecting drainage from 15 Claims 4 Drawing Figs the body of a patientafter severe wounding of or surgery per- US. Cl 128/277 formed on thepatient, the bag having a suction control section Int. Cl A6lm 1/00 anda water seal section and is fixedly attached to a canister Field ofSearch 128/276-278, cover, both the bag and cover being discarded afterusage with 297-300, 302 a single patient or whenever desired.

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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The instant invention is designedto complement that set forth in our copending application entitledVacuum Drainage Collecting Apparatus With Disposable Liner," filed Nov.26, 1968, Ser. No. 778,963, and is highly suitable for use between theapparatus of the aforesaid pending application and the connection to thesuction source, especially in hospitals where there is no mechanicalinstallation of suction control means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The instantinvention or discovery is highly desirable for use in the field ofsurgery and pertains to a thin flexible disposable bag for use in acanister located in the suction system between the source of suction anda body drainage receptor into which the drainage is drawn from the bodyof a patient by suction, the bag having a suction control compartment tomaintain constant suction by means of a liquid column and a water sealcompartment for the protection of the patient, the bag and a canisterlid to which it is permanently attached both being disposable wheneverdeemed necessary or desirable 2. Description of the Prior Art Heretoforesuction control means have been in the nature of mechanical devicesincluding pressure gauges, which devices had to be adjusted or regulatedat intervals during usage. Also, it has been known to control suction bymeans of a liquid column, and water seals embodied in suction systemshave also been previously known but were in the form of solid containersor bottles which necessitated sterilization at intervals and weredifficult to properly cleanse. Insofar as we are aware, not any of theseformerly known means employing a liquid column as a vacuum control,provided a liquid return other than back through the path followed bythe air bubbles from atmospheric air entering the bottom of the liquidcolumn upon the occurrence of excess suction, and none of the formerlyknown appliances was sufficiently economical to be disposable after aperiod of usage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention or discovery comprises a thinflexible, preferably plastic bag secured to a canister cover from whichthe bag may be suspended inside the canister. The flexible bag isinitially two sheets heat sealed together except at the upper open endand the bag is partitioned by heat sealed seams into various passagesand compartments some of which are partly separated from the others tofacilitate attachment to the nipples secured to the cover. Thecompartmented bag forms a U- shaped chamber for a water seal, an airpassageway from the atmosphere, and a U-shaped chamber for any quantityof liquid to effect the desired vacuum control. This chamber is alsoprovided with baffles to aid in separating liquid entrained in exitingair traveling to the vacuum line, and also arranged to provide aseparate return passage from that followed by the air bubbles passingthrough the liquid. Thus, the structure is highly economical, highlyefficient, prevents any liquid from being carried out by exiting air,and the entire bag along with its cover is thrown away whenever desiredand a new bag and cover substituted. There is nothing to be sterilized,washed, or otherwise cleansed, since the bag and its cover are in asterile condition at the start. The bag is disposed between a source ofsuction and a body drainage receptor. Thus, it will be seen that the bagis considerably economical when used in hospitals, lessening duty on thesterilization equipment, and eliminating much of the heretoforenecessary labor. By way of a conversion scale on the bag itself, nomistake can be made in the amount of water or mercury placed in the bagat the start of an operation, and it is a matter of less than 1 minuteto change bags, fill a new bag to the desired extent, and proceed againwith the operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of certainpreferred embodiments thereof when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bagand canister cover assembly embodying principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan transverse sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line "-1! of FIG. I, but with the canister removed;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view illustrating the use of thebag as it would be used in a hospital; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, through the structureFIG. 1, but with the connections of the bag to the cover nipples placedin a straight line to better illustrate the operation of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In most of the sciences, theheight of either a column of water or a column of mercury is theaccepted measure for pressures. Consequently, insofar as the operationof the instant invention is concerned, water and mercury are to beconsidered synonymous herein and in the appended claims, even thoughwater may be mentioned in the description to facilitate the explanationof the invention.

The invention is utilized within a canister 1 which is a cylindricalreceptacle open at the top and closed at the bottom and preferably madeof rigid transparent plastic material so that the bag ultimately placedtherein is visible through the canister wall. With reference to FIG. 3it will be noted that when the bag is put to use the canister 1 may beconveniently held on a stand 2 which may also hold a canister 3containing a disposable receptor bag of the type more fully set forthand claimed in our aforesaid copending application. Of course, theinstant invention may be utilized with the old-fashioned collectingbottles heretofore used by hospitals if so desired. In the arrangementshown in FIG. 3 a tube 4 leads from a wound in the body of a patient 5and is connected to the drainage receptor bag within the canister 3. Atube 6 leads from a fitting on the top of the canister 3 and connectswith the interior of the bag in canister l, and a tube 7 leads through afitting connecting the interior of the canister ll, outside the bagtherein, with a source of suction or vacuum generally indicated bynumeral 8 of the type usually found built into the wall of certainhospital rooms, although any other suitable source of suction may beprovided. The cover 9 embodied in the instant invention may be of thinmetal but is preferably plastic to facilitate attachment of the variousfittings or nipples thereto by cement or fusion. Extending through thecover is a nipple 10 to which the aforesaid tube 7 leading to the vacuumsystem is connected. As seen in FIG. 4, this nipple communicates onlywith the interior of the canister ll outside the bag therein. Anothernipple 11 projects through the cover and this nipple is connected to theaforesaid tube 6 leading to the canister 3 and drainage receptortherein. A third nipple 12 projects through the cover, terminatingalmost flush with the outer face of the cover, and remains open toatmosphere. To the inside face of the cover a pair of nipples 13 and 14are firmly secured, but these nipples do not extend through the cover. Acarrying and suspending bale I5 is also attached to the outside of thecover in any suitable manner to facilitate carrying the cover and thebag attached thereto or suspending it for filling purposes.

The bag, generally indicated by numeral 16, suspended from the cover 9,as stated above, is formed of initially two pieces of material securedtogether. The material of the bag is not essential, since it could bemade of substantially transparent rubber like material vulcanized oradhesively secured together, but it preferably is made of two sheets ofthermoplastic material, and it will so be described herein by way ofexample.

In forming the bag, the initially separate plastic sheets are joinedtogether by a bounding heat-sealed seam 17 which extends from the top ofthe bag on both sides thereof, curves around at the bottom as indicatedat 18-18 to define an inverted V-shaped open notch 19. From the top ofthe notch 19 a bar heat-seal 20 extends to the top of the bag, therebydividing the bag into two separate portions, the top of the bagremaining open while the bottom is closed by the aforesaid heat-sealseam 17 at the curvatures 18-18. The right-hand portion of the bag, asviewed in FIG. 4, is divided by a bar seal 21 extending from the top ofthe bag downwardly to a point above the bottom, terminating at 22 todefine an interior U- shaped chamber of which the legs are tubes 23 and24. The bar seal 23 is divided along a line 25 centrally thereof whichextends from the top of the bag to a point 26 well above the bottom sothat the tubes 23 and 24 may be separated one from the other tofacilitate connection with the respective nipples in the canister cover9. The upper end of the tube 24 is connected in a leakproof manneraround the inward extension of the nipple 11 connected to the aforesaidtube 6 leading to the drainage receptor canister 3. The upper end of thetube 23 is connected to the inside nipples 14, the connection beingseparate from the nipple in one location to provide an open port on theinterior of the tube 23 into communication with the interior of thecanister, the bag being secured to all nipples at a point below thecover 9, as indicated by the line 28 in FIG. 4.

The other portion or left side of the bag, as viewed in FIG. 4, isprovided with a bar seal 29 having a curvate lower end 30 above thebottom of the bag. This bar seal is divided along a centerline 31 whichtenninates at a point 32 well above the bag bottom thereby defining apair of tubes 33 and 34 separable at the upper portion for conveniencein reaching the cover nipples, the tube 34 being between part of the barseal 29 and the aforesaid seal 20. The tube 33 is connected to theatmospheric nipple 12 in a leakproof manner, such as by adhesive or byfusion. The tube 34 is connected at the top to the inside nipple 13,being separated from the nipple to provide a relatively large port 36communicating with the interior of the canister outside the bag. Anelongated bar seal 37 terminating short of the curvate end 30 in theseal 29, and terminating at some distance below the top of the bag,divides the tube 34 into what may be termed a bubble path 38 and aliquid return path 39. As will later appear, air bubbles rise throughliquid the path 38, and any entrained liquid will be returned to thereservoir formed by the tubes 33 and 34 by way of the separate path 39.Spaced above the top of the bar seal 37 is a curvate bar seal 40 thatforms a bafi'le against which escaping air may impinge on its way outthe port 36. Adjacent the top of the liquid return path 39 is a curvatebar seal 41 which extends the major distance across this path and formsa venturi 42 between the lower end of the seal 41 and elongated seal 37.

When put to use, the right-hand portion of the bag, as seen in FIG. 4,is filled with liquid to approximately the level 43, and the left-handpart of the bag as used in this figure is filled with liquidapproximately to the level 44. The liquid to the level 43 forms a waterseal, and this liquid may be supplied through the nipple 11. The liquidto the level 44 fonns a liquid pressure column for vacuum control andmay be put in through the tube 33. The nipples and 11 may then beconnected respectively to the tubes 7 and 6 of the system shown in FIG.3, and the device is ready for operation.

With reference to FIG. 1, it will be noted that on the exterior of thebag there is a pair of scales 45 and 46 which indicate to the operatorthe exact number of centimeters of liquid to be placed in the bag tofill it to the desired levels, so that only the proper amount of liquidneed be placed in the bag. The liquid forming the water seal need onlyextend one or two centimeters above the lower end 22 of the bar seal 21to effectively form a water seal, while the pressure liquid extends to aheight to provide a pressure equal to the desired strength of vacuum.Should the vacuum or negative pressure exceed the desired strength, thearrangement of the bag and the liquid therein will automatically correctthe pressure to its original desired value, whereby there is a constantvacuum maintained on the drain tubes leading from the patients body.

When the invention is in use, as long as the strength of the vacuumremains at the desired amount, air traveling to the source of vacuum orsuction will pass only through the tubes 23 and 24 of the bag enteringdownwardly through the tube 24, passing through the liquid forming thewater seal, upwardly through the tube 23, and exit into the canisteroutside the bag through the port 27, leaving the canister through thenipple 10. The gradual increase upwardly in size of the tube 23 aids thedischarge of liquid entrained in the traveling air so that the air willexit substantially dry. This flow of air is indicated by the long arrows47.

Should the strength of the vacuum, for any reason, increase above thedesired amount, atmospheric air will enter through the nipple 12 andfollow the path of the long arrows 48 down through the tube 33, throughthe liquid at the level 44, up through the air passage 38 and thenbubble up to strike against the baffle 40 which aids in the removal ofliquid that may be entrained in the air. The amount of such entering airwill be equivalent to the difference of the desired negative pressureand the excess negative pressure. The air will enter the canister andexit through the nipple 10 by way of the port 36. During the travel ofair from the atmosphere, there will be a movement of the liquid throughwhich this air travels as indicated by the shorter arrows 49 upwardlythrough the air path 38 along with the air thence inwardly anddownwardly following a separate return path to the reservoir of liquidthrough the passage 39. Separation of entrained liquid from the exitingair is aided by the baffle 40, the baffle 41, the venturi 42, and thefact that the passages are larger at the top than at the bottom. Asliquid is moved from the bottom of the reservoir by the travel of theair, a venturi action will be created at 42 materially aiding the returnof liquid entrained in the air. Thus, air exits through the port 36 intothe canister substantially dry, and none of the water seal liquid or thevacuum control liquid is carried over into the suction line. The actionjust above-described will continue until the strength of the vacuumreduces to its original desired value as determined by the liquidcolumn. It has been found desirable that where the canister is connectedto a fixed vacuum source, to vent the canister to ambient air by way ofa manually controlled air valve to regulate the amount of vacuum desiredin the canister. To this end, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, by way ofexample, we have shown a simple form of air valve consisting of a screw50 having a flanged head as indicated at 51, the flange overlying aplurality of air ports 52 through the canister cover 9. The amount ofair admitted through the ports depends upon how close the flange is tothe ports and that distance may readily be varied to increase ordecrease the admitted air by turning the screw 50, the shaft of thescrew being threaded into a suitable aperture in the cover 9.

It will be noted that the operation of the instant invention is entirelyautomatic and any replenishment of liquid in either the water levelreservoir or the volume control reservoir would be at the least atintervals few and far between. In fact, when the instant invention isused it replaces pennanently installed mechanism which requires frequentregulations during usage for vacuum control, and also may be used inlieu of bottle equipment as now used and eliminates the difficultcleansing and sterilization thereof. With the instant invention, ahospital or the like need not have finances tied up in permanentinstallations or an inventory of expensive bottles and the like, but mayoperate satisfactorily on a relatively small and economical inventory,replaceable at any time.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versedin the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within thescope of the patent granted hereon all such modifications as reasonablyand properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

The invention claimed is:

l. A suction control assembly disposable after usage for disposition inan open topped reusable canister, including a canister cover,

a flexible plastic bag depending from said cover and internally dividedto define separate water seal and liquid pressure column chambers,

each said chamber having a port at the top thereof for opencommunication with the interior of the canister, and

separate means on said cover for connecting the water seal chamber to apoint where suction is needed, the liquid pressure column chamber toatmosphere, and the interior of the canister to a source of vacuum.

2. The assembly of claim 1, including means dividing the pressure columnchamber in a manner defining separate paths for the outflow of air andthe return of liquid entrained therein.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each chamber is substantiallyU-shaped.

d. The assembly of claim 1, including baffle means in the path of airexiting from the liquid column chamber to insure removal of entrainedliquid.

5. The assembly of claim 2, including bafile means in the liquid returnpath positioned to form a venturi passage to expedite return flow ofliquid.

6. The assembly of claim 2, including baffle means positioned to guideair drawn into the liquid column chamber into its outgoing path and awayfrom the liquid return path.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said chambers are each smaller atthe bottom than at the top to slow the velocity of exiting air.

8. A suction control assembly disposable after usage for disposition inan open topped reusable canister, including a canister cover,

a thin flexible bag depending from said cover and formed from a pair ofinitially separate sheets of material sealed together around the bottomand side edges,

bar seals interiorly dividing said bag to define separate water seal andliquid pressure column chamber,

each said chamber having a port at the top thereof for opencommunication with the interior of the canister, and

separate means on said cover for connecting the water seal chamber to apoint where suction is needed, the liquid pressure column chamber toatmosphere, and the interior of the canister to a source of vacuum.

9. The assembly of claim 8, including bar seals dividing each of saidchambers to form U-shaped chambers.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the last said bar seals are eachsplit in the upper portions of said bag to define upper inlet and outlettubes for each chamber and for connection with the means on said cover.

11. The assembly of claim 10, including a generally upright bar sealstopping short of the bottom of the liquid column chamber and dividingthe lower part of that chamber into separate air exit and liquid returnpaths.

12. The assembly of claim 11, including a crossbar seal forming a bafilein the path of air exiting from the liquid column chamber.

113. The assembly of claim 12, including a crossbar seal in said liquidreturn path forming a venturi passage between it and said upright barseal.

14. The assembly of claim 1, including a manually controlled air inletvent in said cover leading to the canister.

115. The assembly of claim 8, including a manually controlled air inletvent in said cover leading to the canister.

0 l! II

1. A suction control assembly disposable after usage for disposition inan open topped reusable canister, including a canister cover, a flexibleplastic bag depending from said cover and internally divided to defineseparate water seal and liquid pressure column chambers, each saidchamber having a port at the top thereof for open communication with theinterior of the canister, and separate means on said cover forconnecting the water seal chamber to a point where suction is needed,the liquid pressure column chamber to atmosphere, and the interior ofthe canister to a source of vacuum.
 2. The assembly of claim 1,including means dividing the pressure column chamber in a mannerdefining separate paths for the outflow of air and the return of liquidentrained therein.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each chamber issubstantially U-shaped.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, including bafflemeans in the path of air exiting from the liquid column chamber toinsure removal of entrained liquid.
 5. The assembly of claim 2,including baffle means in the liquid return path positioned to form aventuri passage to expedite return flow of liquid.
 6. The assembly ofclaim 2, including baffle means positioned to guide air drawn into theliquid column chamber into its outgoing path and away from the liquidreturn path.
 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said chambers are eachsmaller at the bottom than at the top to slow the velocity of exitingair.
 8. A suction control assembly disposable after usage fordisposition in an open topped reusable canister, including a canistercover, a thin flexible bag depending from said cover and formed from apair of initially separate sheets of material sealed together around thebottom and side edges, bar seals interiorly dividing said bag to defineseparate water seal and liquid pressure column chambers each saidchamber having a port at the top thereof for open communication with theinterior of the canister, and separate means on said cover forconnecting the water seal chamber to a point where suction is needed,the liquid pressure column chAmber to atmosphere, and the interior ofthe canister to a source of vacuum.
 9. The assembly of claim 8,including bar seals dividing each of said chambers to form U-shapedchambers.
 10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the last said bar sealsare each split in the upper portions of said bag to define upper inletand outlet tubes for each chamber and for connection with the means onsaid cover.
 11. The assembly of claim 10, including a generally uprightbar seal stopping short of the bottom of the liquid column chamber anddividing the lower part of that chamber into separate air exit andliquid return paths.
 12. The assembly of claim 11, including a crossbarseal forming a baffle in the path of air exiting from the liquid columnchamber.
 13. The assembly of claim 12, including a crossbar seal in saidliquid return path forming a venturi passage between it and said uprightbar seal.
 14. The assembly of claim 1, including a manually controlledair inlet vent in said cover leading to the canister.
 15. The assemblyof claim 8, including a manually controlled air inlet vent in said coverleading to the canister.